"On top of his head and in front of his neck hung pieces of raw
red meat. He walked about restlessly, tearing up the ground with
his toes, and beating his arms savagely against his sides. The
moment he caught sight of me he opened his pointed mouth as if to
swallow me, and then he let out a piercing roar that frightened
me almost to death."

Can you guess who it was that our young Mouse was trying to
describe to his mother? It was nobody but the Barnyard Cock and
the first one the little Mouse had ever seen.

"If it had not been for that terrible monster," the Mouse went
on, "I should have made the acquaintance of the pretty creature,
who looked so good and gentle. He had thick, velvety fur, a meek
face, and a look that was very modest, though his eyes were
bright and shining. As he looked at me he waved his fine long
tail and smiled.

"I am sure he was just about to speak to me when the monster I
have told you about let out a screaming yell, and I ran for my
life."

"My son," said the Mother Mouse, "that gentle creature you saw
was none other than the Cat. Under his kindly appearance, he
bears a grudge against every one of us. The other was nothing but
a bird who wouldn't harm you in the least. As for the Cat, he
eats us. So be thankful, my child, that you escaped with your
life, and, as long as you live, never judge people by their
looks."

_Do not trust alone to outward appearances._

[Illustration]

THE WOLF AND THE SHEPHERD

A Wolf had been prowling around a flock of Sheep for a long time,
and the Shepherd watched very anxiously to prevent him from
carrying off a Lamb. But the Wolf did not try to do any harm.
Instead he seemed to be helping the Shepherd take care of the
Sheep. At last the Shepherd got so used to seeing the Wolf about
that he forgot how wicked he could be.

One day he even went so far as to leave his flock in the Wolf's
care while he went on an errand. But when he came back and saw
how many of the flock had been killed and carried off, he knew
how foolish to trust a Wolf.

_Once a wolf, always a wolf._

[Illustration]

THE PEACOCK AND THE CRANE

A Peacock, puffed up with vanity, met a Crane one day, and to
impress him spread his gorgeous tail in the Sun.

"Look," he said. "What have you to compare with this? I am
dressed in all the glory of the rainbow, while your feathers are
gray as dust!"

The Crane spread his broad wings and flew up toward the sun.

"Fol